Collapsible box.



C. TABER.

COLLAPSIBLE BOX- APPLICATION FILED APR. 5. lsls'.

- wfswron um Patented May 1, 1917.

4 SHEET$SHEET I ATTORNEY c, TABER. C OLLAPSIBLE BOX.

APPLICATION FiLED APR. 5. l9l6.

1,224,234. Patented May 1, 1917.

. v/ BY him 1 ,qrrqmvrr c. TABER.

- V LULLAPSIBLE BOX.

- APPLICATION FILED APR.5, 1916. 1,224,234. .latented, May 1, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

C. TABER.

COLLAPSIBLE BOX.

APPLICATION FILED APR, 5. I916.

Patented May 1, 1917.

4 SHEETS SHEET 4.

IZWLTATTORNEY I CHARLES TABER, OF PH ALANX, NEW JERSEY.

coLLAPsInLE BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented May 1, 1917.

Application filed April 5, 1916. Serial No. 89,116.

To all whom it may concern. I

Be it known that I, (uAnLns Txnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing in Phalanx, Monmouth county, New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

The invention aimsto provide a box which can be conveniently used for shipping articles or a number of separate packages and which can then be collapsed into a small space and returned to the original shipper. Such boxes have a wide variety of uses. My improved box has a number of features of advantage, referred to in detail hereinafter.

The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the" box assembled ready for shipment;

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the top and one side and one end removed so as to show the interior;

Fig. 3 is a sectional viewof a portion of the top or bottom;

Fig. at is a side elevation and Fig. 5 an end elevation showing the box collapsed and its parts nested for shipment in compact form;

Fig. '6 is a longitudinal section of one end of the members nested andFig. 7 is a crosssection of one side thereof;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a corner of the box illustrating a modified construction; I,

Fig. 9 is' a section showing the manner of nesting the parts when modified'as in Fig.8.

Figs. 10 and 11 are a plan and perspective illustratil'ig a 11 artitioning system;

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 2 and Figs. 13 and 14 are views similar to Figs, 6 and 7 illustrating a modified construction.

Referring now to the embodiments of the.

invention illustrated, the box is of rectangular shape comprising atop A and bottom A, sides B and B and ends C and C. The opposite members are identical with each other, or substantially so.

The bottom comprises a central plate with flanges D and E ,on its four edges and projecting outward in the assembled position of the parts. The side plates-B extend perpendicularly to the bottom and top and are reinforced on their top and bottom edges.

Preferably they are provided with bottom and top flanges F and G parallel with the ends, the reinforcement 1 comprising,

bottom and topplates so as not only to renforce the edges but also to facilitate nestcontinuously around the four flanges, the

edges of the supplementary flanges being bent around to lnclose such wire. The sides have inwardly prOJectmg flanges N on their vertical edges where they meet the ends,

which flanges stiffen the side plates in the vertical direction and provide a wide bearingto'engage the ends. The ends have simi lar inwardly extending flanges 0 along theirv vertical edges, which flanges embrace the adjacent edges of the sides as indicated in Fig. l. The flanges N and 0, therefore,

provide a double thickness qf nletal along each vertical corner of the box thus giving these corners great strength. The additional protection affordedby the flanges of the top and bottom plates along the horizontal edges result in making a box of great strength, reinforced at all its corners;

The fastening means for holding the parts together in assembled position are located entirely outside of the space within the box so as to leave the latter clear, and thus to facilitate the easy and compact filling of the box with the goods to be transported. As illustrated, the fastening means consists of mg as hereinafter described. The ends have rods P, which passacross the outside of the topand bottom plates. through holes Q in the flanges 1) thereof, through holes B (Fig. 2) in the upper and lower portions of the side plates and through similar holes. S in the overlapping vertical flanges of the end plates. Each of the rods P has a bent end long enough to strike against the projecting horizontal flange K of the top or bottom plate to prevent rotation of the rod, and has its opposite end screw threaded to receive a fastening nut T, which may he a wing nut in case of boxes of large size, or may be knurled on its edge to facilitate turning it by hand.

The end of the rod- P beyond the nut T when the latter is screwed sit.

within the box so that the ordinary rectan gular packages can be fitted closely therein.

To assemble the box the sides are placed in position on the supplementary flange of the bottom, the end flanges N of the sides embracing the ends of the bottom and the bottom flanges F of the sides resting on the supplementary flanges K of the bottom.

' The ends are then set up with their bottom, flanges H resting on the supplementary flanges L of the bottom, and with their vertical flanges O embracing the vertical edges of the side plates. The-rods P are then inserted through the bottom and through the lower portions of the sides and ends, thus fastening the box together with its top open for packing. In such packing operation the operator will come in contact only with the comparatively smooth bent edges G and J constituting the bases of the top flanges G and J of the sides and, ends so that there is less liability of injur than if an edge of the metal were exposed at these points. For ease of handling, the end plates C, C may be provided with handles such as .V located at any suitable height. Smaller boxes may be made without handles. When the box is filled the top A is applied as shown in Fig. 1, embraced on its ends and sides by the end and side members and with its flanges K and L bearing on and protecting the top flanges of the side and end members. The rods P are then inserted and fastened as described. Instead of nuts the rods may be held by any sort of snap catches which pet'- mit;v the rod to be passed through the holes but prevent its withdrawal, the catch being locked or sealed during transportation.

When the box is to be shipped empty it is collapsed in the manner indicated in Figs. 4 to 7. On the bottom plate A is placed one of the side plates as B, the height of the side plates being such that the space between its top and bottom flanges F and G is just greater than the width of the top and bottom plates so that the latter may be nested compactly within such flanges as indicated in Figs. '5 and 7. -()n the side plate B is placed one of the end plates, as C, the width of the end plates between their vertical flanges being just greater than the height of the side plates so that the latter may be nested compactly Within said flanges O of the end plates. On top of the end plate C is placed the end plate C with the top and bottom flanges of said plates over- .lapping one another as indicated at J,

Fig. 6. Within the side flanges O of the end plate C is nested the side plate B; and between the top and bottom flanges F and G of the latter is nested the top plate A; The platesB and B have their vertical flanges N extending inward and overlapped as in Fig. 6. Thus'in the collapsed arrangement the members occupy a space equal in length and breadth to that of the assembled box and equal in thickness to three times the width of the several flanges O, G and D (plus the thickness of the central plates of the several members which is very trifling). The only exposed edges are the reinforced flanged edges of the top and bottom plates so that there is very little liability to serious injury. The parts are made up of plain surfaces, so that in case of an extraordinary blow and the bending of any of the parts they can easily be straightened with a hammer suflicienty for further use; and this applies, of course, to injuries received either in the assembled box or in the collapsed arrangement.

In previously known collapsible boxes there is apt to be a loss of the. comparatively small fastening members where these are used only in fastening the assembled box. A feature of improvement in my in. vention is the utilization of thesame fastening means for fastening the parts together in the collapsing arrangement. The manner of fastening the parts together in the nested position illustrated is as follows: First, the two end plates are arranged as shown and two of the rods P are passed through holes W (Figs. 2 and 6) formed for this purpose in the top and bottom flanges, the rods passing clear through the opposite flanges. The nuts are screwed lightly on the ends of the rods to hold the parts together. A bottom and side plate as B and A are then nested in the position shown and the two united end plates are placed thereon and fastened thereto by one of the-rods P passing through openings provided in the center of the vertical flanges O of the ends, in the center of the top and bottom flanges F and G of the sides and in the side flanges D of the bottom and top such openings being indicated at Q, Q and Q Fig. 2. This rod-P also passes clear through both sets of flanges at opposite sides of the. assemblage and is fastened lightly by its nut. The top and the remaining side are then similarly assembled and inverted and nested within the upwardly prgjecting side flanges O of the uppermost end piece, as illustrated,

. other end.

bottom (or t qp) a side and an end nested within one another. Since the two opposite sides do not have to nest Within one another, nor the bottom and top, nor the two opposite ends, these opposite members of the box may be made identical in size so as to produce a box which is perfectly rectangular and, therefore, of the most convenient size andof the greatest capacity for most classes of goods.

For boxes of larger size for carrying heavier loadstwo additional fastening rods may be used, one at the top and one at the bottom, parallel with the rod 1 in. Fig. 1, such a rod being shown in dotted lines at I passing through the hole Q" in the flange of the top'plate and passing through the side plates in the same way as the rod 1. In this case, besides the two rods used to fasten the two end plates C and C together, there will be also used for nesting the parts two rods fastening each of the vertical flanges O of the end platesto the nested side and bottom (or top) plates instead of the one rod previously described; thus using the entire six. rods which are used to hold the box in assembled position. Such rods for example can pass in the collapsedposition of the parts through the holes S of the vertical flanges of the end members and through correspondingly located holes in the top and bottom flanges G and Hot the side plates and in the side flanges D of the bottom and top members.

Ordinarily in assembling and packing the box the mounting and fastening of the sides and ends on the bottom will hold ,themfsutliciently rigidly: to permit packing. ()r the top rods P may be inserted to hold them temporarily together. But additional means may be used for holding them together more stifily in this position even while the box is open. Such a -'means is indicated in Figs. 8 and 9 and comprises buttons X on the outer faces of the vertical flanges N of theside plates, as B. The end plates, as C are provided with openings Y tapered in width, adapted to pass said buttons X at one end, but to engage the shank of the same and to prevent withdrawal of the button at the The upper flange G of the plate,B is cut away at its end so as to perinit a relative vertical movement of the vertical flange O of the end member C in as sembling the box. The end member is then broughtup tofthe side members in an ele vated 'positionso that the buttons X pass through the lower ends of the openings Y, and is shoved*downward until the buttons are caught in the upper ends of such openings. The sides and ends should first be assembled in this way and the top then placed on and fastened by its rods. after which the box should be inverted so that the part which was the top now becomes the bot caught in the notches Z of the flange of the opposite member.

The space between the end members as nested lllustrated best in Figs. (3 and T. will accommodate the handles, where handles are used. It is also sufiieient to accommodate other things such, for example. as removable partitions or other fittings that can be set within the box for carrying certain articles. For example, collapsible partitions like those shown in Figs. 10 and 11 may be used for packing the box. These consist of strips a and b notched into each other to form separate compartments and adapted to be either taken apart or to be flattened together in a well known manner. device of this character is flattened it increases in length like a lazy-tongs. In order that such partitions in flattened condition shall fit Within the space between the ends of the nested parts it must not be wider than the box. To secure this result I propose to divide the space, as indicated for example in Fig. 10, into a number of equal sections, each of less Width than the box and to'fill it with separate crates or collapsible partitioning devices indicated as a whole at c, the spaces between the collapsible devices being'pro- \ided with separately removable partitions (Z and 6. Thus the interior partitions within the box are all adapted to be knocked downor collapsed sufficiently to bring them within a space equal to the width of the box (and, of course, they areno greater in height than the ends of the box) so that they When a partitioning can be fitted within the space between thei nested ends.

Where the reinforcement of the top and bottom edges of the side plates is in the form of a rightangled flange as in Fig. 2 the sides must be of such height that:- their top and bottom flanges F and (i can embrace the flanges D of the top and bottom members of the box. J height of the' box must be as great as'its width. These. flanges are not essential in all cases, however, and in Figs. 12. 13 and l-l I have. illustrated a box of less height in For this result, therefore, the

.1) of the top and bottom members.

members. Also the top and bottom edges of the sides are capable ot'resistiiig inward pressure by their bearing against the flanges But for greater resistance lagainst the outward thrust oi the contents of the box a third fastening rod 1. should be used both at the top and at the bottom. passing through holes Q (Fig. 12) near the top and bottom edges of the side members. This provides six fastening rods, all of which will be used to fasten the parts together 'when nested. by torming suitable holes in the flanges as previously described. I

The nesting of boxes constructed in this way is indicated in Figs. 13 and ll. It is r the same as for the previously described construction except that the end flanges X of the side members l3 and l areturned outward to overlap the flanges I) of the top and bottom members instead of being turned inward toward each other. The side members are held by this overlapping of their end flanges against any skewing movement and they are held against eape by their location between the bottom and top members or between .the side and top members respectively which overlap as at D and O in Fig. 14 and thus inclosc and. prevent the loss of the side members.

The opposite members of my improved box are identical and are reversible endwise so that the assembling of them in setting up the box and the nesting of them in the collapsed position requires the least possible careand time. The fastening means are on the outside and yet are abundantly protected by the overhanging flanges. There is little or no chance of the fastening means being lost when the box is returned. since these fastening means are used to assemble the parts in the collapsed position.

' Instead of making the members of the box of sheet metal. with integrail flanges bent up therefrom they,or any of theni.maybe made of separate angles mounted on plates of.

thinner material, either metal. wood or tiber board. For example. the top and bottom or the top alone may be madeof aluminum angles with .stifl' pasteboard centers. the sides and ends. and perhaps the bottom, be-

mg lmide-wholly of aluminum or sheet steel pressed mto shape.

range. it may be sold commercially as an open box, to be covered in any manner desired by the purchaser. or to be always open in certain uses. A round box may be made on substantially the same principle. by using a round bottom or end plate. and various other shapes and 'n oportions may be used so that the terms sides? ends top and bottom t are generally inteychaiigeable.

\Vhat claim is v 1. A collapsiblebox comprising side mem- The proportions of the box may be varied within a considerablebers having reinforced top adapted to be assembled into a box with an opening equal to the full width and length of the box and a top member fitting within the upper portions of said side members and having on its edges outwardly project ingflanges substantially parallel with said side members. and a bottom member, said members being adapted also to be collapsed into a compact arrangement.

2. A collapsible box comprising side members adapted to be assembled into a box with an opening at the top equal to the full width and length of the box. atop member fitting within the upper portions of said side members and having on its edges outwardly projecting flanges substantially parallel with said side members and having additional flanges substantially parallel with said top member and overlying the top of said side members, and a bottom member. said side and top and bottom members being adapted also to be collapsed into a compact arrangement.

3. A collapsible box comprising a plate with outside flanges on its edges and other plates perpendicular thereto and fitting outside of said flanges in the assembled position, and having flanges substantially parallel with said first plate, said first plate having supplementary flanges parallel to the plate and engaged by the "flangeson said other plates, said supplementary flanges having a reinforced outer edge beyond the flanges of said other members.

4. A collapsible box comprising three pairs of flanged members adapted to be assembled to form a box with the members of each pair opposite each other and ot' identical size to each other so as to term a perfectly rectangular box. said members adapted to be collapsed and nested one within the flanges of another in two bundles. each bundle com arising one of each of said pairs.

5. A collapsiblebox comprising three pairs of flanged members adapted to be assembled to form a box with the menibers of each pair opposite each other and of identical size with each other so as to form a perfectly rectangular box, said members adapt ed to be collapsed and nested one within the flanges of another in two bundles. each bundle comprising one of each said pairs, and means adapted to fasten said members together either in the assembled or-the collapsed arrangement.

6. A collapsible box comprising three pairs of flanged members adapted to be assembled to form a box with the members of each pair opposite each other and of identi *al size with each other so as to form a perfectly rectangular box. said members adapted to be collapsed and nested one within the flanges of another in two bundles, each bundle comprising one of each edges. and

of said pairs, and means adapted to fasten said members together either in the assembled or the collapsed arrangement and also to fasten said two bundles to each other.

7. A collapsible box comprising sidemembers adapted totbe assembled into a box with an opening at the 'top equal to the full width and length of the box, a top member fitting within the upper portions of said side members and having on its edges outwardly projecting flanges substantially parallel with said side members, and a bottom member, said side members and top and bottom members being adapted also to be collapsed into a compact arrangement, and fastening means consistin of rods adapted in the assembled positlon of the parts to extend across the outside of said top member and through the flanges thereof aid the adjacent portions of the side mem- 8. A collapsible box comprising side members adapted to be assembled into a. box with an opening at the top equal to the full width said side members and top and bottom mem bers being adapted also to be collapsed into a compact arrangement, and fastening means consisting of rods adapted in the assembled position of the parts to extend across the outside of said top'member and through the flanges thereof and the adjacent portions of the side members, said members adapted also to be fastened together in the collapsed arrangement of said rods.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

CHARLES TABER. 

